CEO at nonprofit with ties to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo quits

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — The CEO of a nonprofit group Andrew Cuomo founded in the 1980s resigned the same month that Cuomo, now governor, opened a probe of high salaries at charitable groups.

The New York World, a project of Columbia University journalism students, reported that HELP USA’s chief executive resigned from his $500,000 job in August. Laurence Belinsky ran the charity founded by Cuomo to build affordable housing for the homeless. Cuomo’s sister, Maria Cuomo Cole, is chairwoman of the nonprofit.

Neither the governor nor HELP USA had any immediate comment Friday. Cuomo has no role in the charity now. A spokesman for HELP USA told The Wall Street Journal the departure had nothing to do with the governor’s review of nonprofits.

The newspaper reported that Belinsky is married to one of the governor’s cousins and is a former housing official for Cuomo’s father, Mario Cuomo, when he was governor. The reports state that the nonprofit’s board of directors includes Andrew Cuomo’s campaign manager and one of his closest health care advisers.

In August, the governor ordered an investigation of the compensation that nonprofit groups provide their top executives. Many nonprofits carry out social services using government grants and other benefits and Gov. Cuomo said the public needs to know if the compensation is justified.

The Wall Street Journal stated Belinsky was paid $546,000 in 2008, including a $157,000 bonus. The charity operates on a $71 million budget that includes government grants.